On Media

Bloomberg fined by Economist Group for CQ Roll Call breach

By DYLAN BYERS

08/09/2012 10:44 AM EDT

Bloomberg has paid an "unspecified amount" to the Economist Group after it was revealed that current Bloomberg staffers formerly employed by CQ Roll Call, the Economist Group's political news subscription service, continued to use their old login names and passwords to access information.

The Economist Group and Bloomberg announced the news in a joint statement today. The announcement also stated that the former CQ Roll Call employees shared their login information with other Bloomberg staffers and that both parties have taken action "to ensure that such access did not continue."

“I appreciate the way Bloomberg have handled this. I have the highest regard for their journalistic ethics," Andrew Rashbass, CEO of the Economist Group said. "I am confident that this conduct will not reoccur.”

Norman Pearlstine, Bloomberg’s chief content officer, said “Bloomberg appreciates that the Economist Group brought its concerns to Bloomberg’s attention, and is pleased that the parties were able to resolve those concerns in a professional and constructive manner.”

BGov, Bloomberg's own political news subscription service, launched in early 2011 and has hired a number of former CQ staffers.